Year 8

How does some West African music exploit the elements rhythm, texture and sonority?

Year 8

How does some West African music exploit the elements rhythm, texture and sonority?

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In this lesson, we will revisit the learning from all of the lessons so far in this unit. We will listen to, play and create music inspired by the rhythms, textures and sonorities of West African music.

Licence

This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.

Loading...

5 Questions

Q1.
Melody describes
Chords in a song
Correct answer: The main tune - a sequence of pitches
The rhythm of the song
Q2.
What is the definition of a diatonic scale?
A scale that is only used in West African music.
Correct answer: A scale that uses only the pitches in a specific key.
A scale that uses pitches outside of the key.
Q3.
What is the definition of a pentatonic scale?
A chord with 5 notes.
A melody with 5 notes.
Correct answer: A scale with 5 notes.
Q4.
What other style is mentioned as also using the pentatonic scale in the lesson?
Classical
Correct answer: Jazz
Rap
Q5.
How is melody used in some West African music?
Melodies are played on the percussion instruments.
Correct answer: Melodies can be sung or played on an instrument.
West African melodies are sung only.

5 Questions

Q1.
What is a polyrhythm?
A texture when a melody is accompanied by chords
A texture where multiple interweaving layers are played at the same time
Correct answer: When two rhythms with different pulses are played at the same time
Q2.
What does texture describe?
A sequence or pattern of long and short notes
The different sounds an instrument or voice can make. The tone or quality of a sound.
Correct answer: The layers of sound created when playing together or separately throughout a song.
Q3.
What does monophonic mean?
Correct answer: A texture that consists of a solo musical line
A texture where a melody is accompanied by by chords
A texture with two or more melodies or parts that play at the same time, weaving in and out of each other
Q4.
What does polyphonic mean?
A texture that consists of a solo musical line
A texture where a melody is accompanied by chords
Correct answer: A texture with two or more melodies or parts that play at the same time, weaving in and out of each other.
Q5.
What does sonority describe in music?
A pattern of sounds of different lengths (long or short)
Correct answer: The different sounds an instrument can make. The quality or character of a sound
The layers of sound created when playing together or separately throughout a song. E.g. ‘homophonic’.